Coke’s purchase of a 16.7 percent stake in Monster is a long-awaited move to bolster the brand's slumping soft drink sales and get a foot in the youth beverage market.

Monster makes extremely caffeinated beverages that are popular with young consumers and holds the No. 1 spot in the U.S. energy drink market, reports USA Today.

The deal will eventually allow Coke to own a 25 percent stake in Monster, according to the Times. In return, Coke will share its global distribution network with Monster. The two companies will also swap brands in a rationalization of market segments. Coke will hand ownership of its energy drink portfolio, which includes the Full Throttle and Burn brands, to Monster while Monster will hand its Hansen's brand and other soft drinks to Coke.

The companies also plan to work together to expand international sales and distribution.

Coke’s purchase of a 16.7 percent stake in Monster is a long-awaited move to bolster the brand's slumping soft drink sales and get a foot in the youth beverage market.

Monster makes extremely caffeinated beverages that are popular with young consumers and holds the No. 1 spot in the U.S. energy drink market, reports USA Today.

The deal will eventually allow Coke to own a 25 percent stake in Monster, according to the Times. In return, Coke will share its global distribution network with Monster. The two companies will also swap brands in a rationalization of market segments. Coke will hand ownership of its energy drink portfolio, which includes the Full Throttle and Burn brands, to Monster while Monster will hand its Hansen's brand and other soft drinks to Coke.

The companies also plan to work together to expand international sales and distribution.